The novel Coronavirus is also believed to have originated in one of the wildlife markets in the Wuhan city of China.

Even as the world is reeling under the Coronavirus pandemic for almost a year, the doctor who had first discovered the Ebola virus has warned that far more deadly and contagious pathogens and viruses could hit mankind in future. The fears expressed by Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum further got wind after a woman in the Democratic Republic of the Congo showed symptoms of a hemorrhagic fever, according to a CNN report.

The fears of a new lethal disease have increased after the woman tested negative for a range of tests including Ebola making scientists nervous about the spread of a new lethal virus. Health experts and scientists have termed the virus ‘Disease X’ signifying its untraced origin and behaviour and the woman suffering from the disease as ‘patient zero’. What has further increased the concern about the spread of this new virus is the estimates put out by scientists that the disease could spread at a rate similar to Coronavirus and could have a mortality rate of about 50-90 percent. When the Ebola virus was first discovered by the scientists, the virus had resulted in the mortality rate of about 88 percent of the patients and 80 percent healthcare staff.

Tamfum who had played an instrumental role in discovering the Ebola virus in 1976 has said that humanity faces innumerable new viruses and lethal infections. He also said that Africa’s tropical rainforests could be the source of emanating numerous lethal viruses in the world. Even before the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, the health experts and scientists had flagged the danger of lethal zoonotic viruses(that spread from animals to humans) entering human lives. Climate Change activists and wildlife experts have time and again raised concern over the destruction of the natural habitat of various species forcing these species come into contact with human life.

In addition to the destruction of the wildlife habitat, scientists have also raised concern about the prevalence of the wet wildlife market where different species are butchered and sold for consumption and other purposes.

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Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/disease-x-to-haunt-2021-alarm-bells-in-medical-world-after-patient-zero-with-new-zoonotic-virus-found-in-congo/2163844/

The post Disease X to haunt 2021? Alarm bells in medical world after ‘patient zero’ with new zoonotic virus found in Congo first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The hyalomma tick was discovered in Dorset last year and was 10 times larger in size than average, as experts believe the blood-sucking parasites have mutated to survive the cold winters.

‘The next ebola’

Hyalomma ticks are usually only found in Africa, Asia and parts of southern Europe, but one was removed from a horse in Dorset last September and sent to Public Health England (PHE) for analysis.

Tests found the creature was carrying rickettsia spotted fever, which can cause headaches, cramps and blisters in humans, but ticks are also known to carry the deadly Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, dubbed “the next ebola”.

The deadly virus, also known as Congo fever, results in death in around two fifths of all cases and there are currently no proven vaccines available to prevent it.

According to the World Health Organisation, onset of symptoms is sudden, prompting fever, muscle aches, dizziness, neck pain and sore eyes.

Infected people may also suffer with nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, sore throat and confusion early on, while severely ill patients can experience rapid kidney deterioration, liver failure and internal bleeding.

The mortality rate is approximately 30 per cent, with death occurring in the second week of illness.

A ‘threat to public health’

The discovery of a deadly tick in Dorset could “present a threat to public health in the UK,” the PHE said.

It is currently not known whether any more ticks have been found in the UK this year, but there have been six reported cases in Germany so far. Experts in Munich believe the creatures have mutated to survive the cold winters, rather than being brought into the country by migratory birds.

Dr Ute Mackenstedt, a parasitologist at the University of Hohenheim, told The Sun, “If the development cycle is taken into account, this cannot be the case here, as the ticks would have had to have been introduced at a time where the migratory birds had not even arrived.

“According to the latest evidence, we have to presume that these animals are able to survive the winters in Germany.”

Five of the hyalomma ticks were found on a horse at a stables, meaning there is a possibility of a possible pairing and the emergence of an independent population.

High-risk areas

Hyalomma ticks can grow to as long as two centimetres and are much larger than the local wood tick. Originating in Iran, before spreading into Asia, the Middle East, southern Europe and Africa, the ticks are recognisable by their large size and striped legs.

There are several types of tick in the UK, but the sheep tick – known as Ixodes ricinus – is the most common.

A bite from a tick can cause a number of health problems, such as Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis, which in some cases can be fatal.

They can be found all across the UK, but high-risk areas include grassy and wooded spots in southern England, East Anglia, the Yorkshire Moors and the Scottish Highlands.

If you have been walking through high risk areas, you should check yourself for ticks as a precaution, paying attention to folds in the skin and the hairline.

To reduce the risk of being bitten, take the following precautions when heading outdoors:

– Cover your skin when walking outdoors

– Tuck your trousers into your socks, or wear longer socks when walking through long grassy areas

– Use insect repellent on your clothes and skin – products containing DEET are most effective

– Stick to paths wherever possible

– Wear light-coloured clothing, so ticks are easier to spot and brush off

– Carry out a tick check

Source: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/congo-fever-deadly-ticks-carrying-ebola-like-virus-found-in-uk-and-europe-1-4951054

The post Congo Fever: Deadly ticks carrying Ebola-like virus found in UK and Europe first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

In recent months, public health experts have claimed the deadly Ebola virus outbreak that has been ravaging the Congo will not become a global health threat.

However, recent events and updates paint a less optimistic picture.

Last week, the World Health Organization issued a statement on the ongoing Ebola outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If this Ebola outbreak isn’t stopped soon, it could become a global threat.

The recent spike of cases increases the threat that the deadly virus will spread to other countries and efforts must be redoubled to stop it, the WHO said last Friday after a meeting of its expert committee.

On April 12, the WHO claimed that while the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo is of “deep concern” the situation does not yet warrant being declared a global emergency.

But don’t get too comfortable.

Here are a few concerning excerpts from the statement:

However, the Committee wished to express their deep concern about the recent increase in transmission in specific areas, and therefore the potential risk of spread to neighbouring countries.

Special emphasis should be placed on addressing the rise in case numbers in the remaining epicentres, notably Butembo, Katwa, Vuhovi, and Mandima.

Because there is a very high risk of regional spread, neighbouring countries should continue to accelerate current preparedness and surveillance efforts, including vaccination of health care workers and front-line workers in surrounding countries.

Cross-border collaboration should continue to be strengthened, including timely sharing of data and alerts, cross-border community engagement and awareness raising. In addition, work should be done to better map population movements and understand social networks bridging national boundaries.

The Committee maintains its previous advice that it is particularly important that no international travel or trade restrictions should be applied. Exit screening, including at airports, ports, and land crossings, is of great importance; however, entry screening, particularly in distant airports, is not considered to be of any public health or cost-benefit value. (source)

This Ebola outbreak has no end in sight.

The outbreak has become the second-deadliest in history, behind the West African one from 2014-16 that killed more than 11,300 people.

As of April 15, the outbreak has claimed 821 lives. The total case number is 1273. Unfortunately, both numbers are soaring, and experts say it is not even close to ending:

Some health experts predicted months ago that the outbreak would end within six months’ time. As complications keep appearing, the time frame is pushed back.

“Given the average number of cases we’re seeing now, this is not going to be over for at least another six months or more,” Tariq Riebl with the International Rescue Committee said Friday.

The chair of WHO’s expert committee that unanimously decided the outbreak is not yet a global emergency, Robert Steffen, said experts were “moderately optimistic” the outbreak could be contained within a “foreseeable time.” (source)

A top Red Cross official told the Associated Press he’s “more concerned than I have ever been” about the possible regional spread of the Ebola virus in Congo after a recent spike in cases.

Emanuele Capobianco spoke by phone ahead of a key World Health Organization meeting in Geneva later Friday about whether to declare the Ebola outbreak in northeastern Congo an international health emergency.

Capobianco, head of health and care at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, cited Congolese health ministry statistics announced on Thursday showing 40 new cases over two days this week.

He called that rate unprecedented in the current eight-month outbreak. (source)

Here’s why Ebola is so dangerous.

As Daisy Luther explained in It’s Back: How to Prep for Ebola 2.0, “Part of the reason Ebola seems particularly terrifying is the graphic presentation, which is the stuff of horror movies. It is a hemorrhagic disease, which means that it can cause bleeding from the mouth, eyes, nose, and rectum.”

Here’s how it progresses:

The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes. (source)

But it isn’t just the gruesome visuals. Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, depending on the strain. This outbreak is the Zaire strain of Ebola, which is the same one that made it to America back in 2014.

Could an Ebola outbreak occur in America?

The odds of an Ebola outbreak occurring in the US have long been considered extremely low, mainly because of how the disease is transmitted. People in America usually don’t eat bushmeat, and we have much better sanitation, health education, and health care facilities.

National Geographic explains how Ebola is transmitted from animals to humans:

Ebola is a zoonosis, or a disease that can “spill over” into humans from nonhuman animals in the wild that carry the sickness. Researchers don’t know for sure which animals are Ebola carriers, but there’s evidence that fruit bats may play a role in spreading the virus to other animals, such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and duikers. Humans, in turn, can come into contact with the virus by interacting with infected animals, such as by hunting or preparing bushmeat.

Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluids—such as blood, urine, feces, vomit, breast milk, and saliva—from people who have fallen ill or died from EVD. The virus gets into the body through breaks in the skin or through mucous membranes, such as those in the eyes, nose, or mouth. Contaminated needles or syringes also can transmit the virus, and there’s a strong chance that it can also spread via sexual contact. The virus can persist in semen, even after a man has recovered from EVD. (source)

It is possible that migrants from Africa could bring Ebola to the US.

Some independent news outlets are reporting that 20 African migrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were monitored for Ebola and other diseases at the border of Mexico and Laredo, Texas. Full disclosure: Those reports have been difficult to verify and may not be factual.

However, in an article dated April 16 and titled Hundreds of Africans tried to reach the United States. Now they’re stuck in Mexico, The Washington Post reported:

Although the vast majority of migrants passing through Mexico on their way to the United States come from Central America, hundreds are from African countries such as Congo, Cameroon and Ethiopia.

At the Casa Del Migrante Amar, a migrant shelter in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, on the Texas border, more than 80 African migrants have gathered. Most are from Congo, Ethi­o­pia or Eritrea.

So, we do know that migrants from Congo are trying to get to the United States, but data on how many have actually arrived – and whether any of them have been screened for Ebola – are not available.

For now, getting prepared for a possible outbreak isn’t a bad idea. To learn how, please see It’s Back: How to Prep for Ebola 2.0.

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-18/ebola-outbreak-congo-close-becoming-global-emergency

The post The Ebola Outbreak In Congo Is Close To Becoming A Global Emergency first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The plague currently ravaging Madagascar has proved “resilient” to antibiotics because it is extremely rare, an expert has warned.

It comes as the death toll for the disease rises to 165 and 10 neighbouring countries are put on alert, according to the latest World Health Organization figures.

Dr Matthew Avison, from the University of Bristol, told The Daily Star the outbreak was likely to become more serious before it ends.

He said: “Because this disease is extremely rare, it doesn’t get exposed to antibiotics that often.

“That means it’s more resistant to antibiotics and the risk of death is higher.”

But he also added that it can be treated if drugs are handed out quickly.

His comments come as a medical expert warned that the deadly plague could mutate and become untreatable.

Professor Paul Hunter also warned it was possible for the disease to reach Europe and North America like the Ebola virus did in 2014 following an outbreak in West Africa.

Hunter, who lectures in health protection at the University of East Anglia, said: “As with any disease, it’s a real worry that it mutates and become untreatable.”

He told the Daily Star: “If it reaches the UK, Europe or the US it would be similar to the Ebola outbreak.

“We would probably have a few isolated cases but it shouldn’t spread like it has in Madagascar.”

Two thirds of the cases have been reported as pneumonic which is the most lethal strain.

Dr Charlotte Ndiaye, who works for the World Health Organisation in Madagascar, said: “WHO is concerned that plague could spread further because it is already present in several cities and this is the start of the epidemic season, which usually runs from September to April.”

The disease can be spread by coughing, sneezing, spitting and through contact with other fluids.

It is related to the Black Death which killed around 200 million people in Europe and Asia between 1346 and 1353.

Source: https://blackchristiannews.com/2017/11/madagascar-plague-death-toll-rises-to-195/

The post Madagascar Plague Death Toll Rises to 195 first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.